1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to information service systems or other service oriented systems which employ a portable display terminal for personal use, wherein the portable display terminal is capable of collecting and storing information, in association with an IC memory card, including written and/or graphics information available from radiowaves, leased telephone lines and public telephone lines.
2. Discussion of the Background
Examples of information services employing communication networks include VIDEOTEX services, services accessed using a personal computer, and services accessed via devices available publicly, for example, in the streets. In the VIDEOTEX services and services accessed via personal computers, a terminal for inclusive use, or a personal computer, is connected to a leased or a public telephone line, and information is supplied to specified members from on-line information services via the terminal or personal computer.
In the above-mentioned conventional VIDEOTEX services and services accessed by personal computers, it is necessary for common users to have at least a terminal capable of providing a telecommunication function by which information is accessible. If the users don't have such terminal, they can't obtain information other than printed data, in the form of written and/or graphic data, provided by means of a printer. Therefore, one drawback of these conventional arrangements is that the users are required to install a relatively large, expensive device in order to receive information. Further, there has been a problem that only specified persons can receive such services.
In service arrangements accessed through communication via devices installed publicly, persons, other than specified members, can receive information by using terminals installed in streets and buildings without fees or with payment by coins.
In these service arrangements accessed publicly, there are drawbacks because data cannot be obtained at places other than those locations where the devices were installed, a considerable amount of time is required to print data, and information cannot be obtained quickly when a large amount of data is requested.
Further, with respect to requested service arranging systems for the pre-engagement of goods or services, since various fields of industry and enterprise use different systems, a unified request service arranging system, covering widely different kinds of services, is not known.
Additionally, with respect to service industries which collect answers to questionnaires concerning marketing surveys and the like, typically, the questionnaires are printed and distributed to unspecified persons and once answered, the questionnaires are collected and the obtained answers are analyzed. However, such an approach requires a large expense, is labor intensive and experiences difficulty in selecting persons for survey.